Should You Go with an Indie Publisher?
Publishers can broadly be divided into two categories: traditional publishers (i.e. the Big Five publishing houses in New York) and indie publishers. Indie publishing is …
How Long Does it Take to Get an MFA in Creative Writing?
An MFA, or Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, is the terminal degree in writing that can be taken under Fiction, Creative Nonfiction (CNF), …
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Interview with Author Morgan Talty
I am so thrilled that my first piece for the Aspiring Author interview series is with author Morgan Talty, whose forthcoming collection NIGHT OF THE …
Why Book Blurbs are Important to Sell Your Book
What is a book blurb? A book blurb is two things: A paragraph or two on the back cover or the inside jacket of a …
How to Write a Query Letter Hook
A query letter hook is the way that you capture a literary agent’s attention right at the start of your query letter. It’s the most …
Interview with Author H.C. Helfand
This is a special one. Not only is author H.C. Helfand a great case study in mixing up genre, audience, and exploring multiple paths to …
Publishing Houses in New York: Who are the Big Five Publishers?
Publishing Houses in New York The “Big Five” publishing houses in New York, or the “Sister Six” as they used to be known until Penguin …
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Top Resources Listing Calls for Submissions
Rather than listing out current calls for submissions – of which there are thousands, yes thousands! – I figured it would be really useful to …
How to Combat Writer Imposter Syndrome
My writer imposter syndrome story When my nephew was old enough to help pick out Christmas gifts, he chose for me a blue writer’s journal. …
How Many Literary Agents Should You Query?
When querying literary agents, you need a killer query letter, manuscript or book proposal, and a strong stomach. But how many literary agents should you …